According to you, are Indonesian films better than Hollywood movies? If yes, in what ways?

Many times, I have been impressed with Indonesian films. Some of the films I felt have transformed the industry are Petualangan Sherina, Ada Apa dengan Cinta? (What’s up with Love?), Gie, Janji Joni (Joni’s Promise), Laskar Pelangi (The Rainbow Troops), Posesif (Possessive), Jatuh Cinta seperti di Film-Film, Budi Pekerti (Andragogy) and many more.

However, sometimes I also feel disappointed and feel that there is a lack of inspiration. Too many films are either horror, comedy or drama. The genres are still not as creative as films from other countries. I am not a fan of horror films, which I feel do not educate people and instil fear in them. However, there is quite a lot of literature that explores why horror films are really popular in Indonesia.

“One reason why the horror genre has such staying power in Indonesia is because it generally tells stories that local audiences are familiar with. Belief in the ethereal and the unseen runs high in Indonesia, and these horror films create experiences that are steeped in local mythology and lore not easily found outside the region. Movie-goers in Indonesia have likely embraced such films because they are tailored to local tastes and stories that people here grew up with.“

In terms of technologies and facilities, Indonesian films are also still behind many countries. We need people who can do animations, especially to make impressive and impactful movies for children. CGI would be great for these kinds of animation films.

In a discussion about Indonesian films this year, I learned about how important it is to watch Indonesian films in the first week (or even first few days), as it decides how long the film will stay in a cinema. Some great Indonesian films such as Heartbreak Motel (2024) stay just for a short time because lack of people turn up for the movie in the first week. I also learned about why Indonesian people usually show up for movies and the reason is mostly for communal reasons, hence movies that should be enjoyed alone did not get much attention. They like to watch things that are not seen in their daily lives (imaginary).

As mentioned by Mohamad Ariansah, “the percentage shows that the audience of Indonesian films still consider film as an entertainment form. Indonesian moviegoers still haven’t seen them from the cinematic side.” This create problems in terms of what kind of movies can be blockbusters. https://www.medcom.id/english/lifestyle-en/JKRoGn3N-reasons-why-indonesians-go-to-the-movies

Recently, some movies have really improved Indonesian cinema but received a lack of recognition from the public. These movies are Yuni, Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts, and Like and Share. I think many people should still see these movies even though it is not in the cinema anymore. The three movies have a story that is important to tell and the way they convey the story is also groundbreaking. When an Indonesian film received good ratings, we should always try to see it within the first week they are in the cinema.